I prewash everything because of possible shrinkage with different fabrics, color running, and because of the chemicals and dyes that make me cough.

An heirloom is just something that is valued and passed down for years through a family ;) the function, style, design, color, etc does not make it an heirloom....... :) what you may term your "utility" quilt can very well end up an heirloom. And if you use said quilt often enough with your kids, they will want to keep it.....making it an heirloom.

I have never pre-washed my fabrics and I have noticed occasional of block shrinkage when ironing with steam. Since I normally oversize my blocks when quilting, there is always extra to trim. Unless you are making a rag quilt, I would pre-wash any flannel.

THANK YOU! I hate when people think that "Heirloom" only means "I spent lots of money on this fabric and spent thousands of hours making it , so don't use it. Put it in the closet." I have a true "heirloom" quilt. Grandma used fabrics she had or was given. My star quilt has grandpa's dress shirt, my sister and mine sun dress fabric, grandma's dress fabric. Most of the star sections are pieced. I can go through the quilt and see fabrics from my life and remember where I was or what I did. I got the quilt when she passed as it was intended as a wedding gift. It was draped over my bedroom chair, and 10 years after I received it , it was on my bed on our wedding night. It was draped over our newborn babies crib for his first family picture. Later it held me as I cried when my divorce was final. The day I met my present husband, I again wrapped myself up to giggle about this new love. The evening he asked me to marry him, we sat on the front porch, wrapped in this quilt. I told him about my quilt, he said he would be honored if he could sleep under it. And on our wedding night we did. Is it made of fancy expensive fabric? Heck no, it is made of PRICELESS fabric. Make your quilt with what you have. Sew love into it and it IS an heirloom when it is used and loved back.

To me all "heirloom" means is something cherished. It has nothing to do with monetary or other judgements of value.

The only fabrics that I pre-wash are batiks or flannels, or if I'm making clothes out of the fabric. If I'm making a rag quilt, I don't pre-wash the flannels I'm going to use.

I don't pre-wash unless I'm concerned that a fabric is going go bleed like black or red. I also prewash cheap muslin that I use for bases for string quilts. I don't worry about shrinkage and have never had a problem with it. I figure I spend enough time worrying about corners and points matching that shrinkage is a non issue.

My heirloom quilts were all prewashed, because my grama and great-grama took apart our old clothes to make them!
I do prewash yardage, but not precuts. The prewashing helps with removing "stuff" from the manufacturing process and catches any bleeding problems. Takes awhile, yes, but when it's done there are no nasty surprises.

With all the love, time and money that goes into making a quilt, why would you take the chance of not shrinking the fabric and batting?

Bleeding fabrics show up during the shrinking process as well and can be treated.

My quilts certainly aren't heirlooms, but I would hate to give one away and have that person have trouble with it later.

Just my opinion,
A Shrinker

I'm sorry but I would not even think of " preshrinking" batting!